Poultry feed-box.



F. A. ZIMMER.

POULTRY FEED BOX. APPLICATION FILED 111111.111, 190s.

Patehted June 6,1911.

2 BHEETS-SHEET 1.

After? F. A. ZIMMER.

POULTRY FEED BOX. APPLICATION TILED DBO.18, 1908.

Patented June 6, 1911.

, 2 SHEETB-SHBET 2.

WI; twesses: W 69M f jim f c season? i ranmamcx a. zmmm, or covINeroN, KENTUCKY.

' POULTRY FEED-BOX.

Specification 0: Letters Patent.

Patented June 6, 1911.

I To all whom-it my consent:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. ZIMMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Covington, in the county of Kenton and State. of Kentuc have invented certain new and useful provements in Poultry Feed-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to poultry feed troughs, and its object is to supply feedto poultry, such as chickens and pi eons, in .only such quantity as is require by the birds, and to maintain the feed in a dry, cleanly and sanitary condition by protect ing it both against the weather and against scattering and contamination by the birds.

My invention consists in a box having an o eni-n .in itsside extendinglongitudinally t ereo ad acent to its bottom, and having its bottom inclined downwardly and outwardly toward said opening interiorly of its side, and upwardly and outwardly away throat. My invention also consists in the parts from said opening exteriorly'of the side,

- the bottom projecting past the side and being provided with a barrier adjacent to the opening, this opening forming a throat through which feed contained in the box may be fed gradually, and'the barrier being adapted to prevent thescatterin and contamination of the feed delivered t rough the and in the details of construction and arrangement of parts as 'Wlll hereinafter be more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure l is a perspective view of a feed box embodying my in-' vention, with'the top closed and ready for-- use. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same with the top open. Fig. 3 is a cross section on a. line corresponding to the line m-a: of Fig. 1, illustrating the operation of the barrier. Fig. 4 is a similar view illustrating a construction in which the width of the throat is not adjustable. Fig. ,5 is a similar view illustrating the position'of the bird in feeding, as

well as the position of the feed in the box. Fig. 6 is a detail of one of the slides for the adjustable sides. Fig. 7 is a partial plan view illustratingthe manner of hinging the lid to the box.

As I prefer to construct my improved feed box, it has the downwardly converging sides 1 attached at their ends to, and supported by, the ends 2 of the'box'. The bottom 3 of Application filed December 18, 1908.- Serial No. 468,142.

These adjustable slides 5 are ends 2 of the box,

slide the sides 1 terminate short thereof, so that the box is also attached to the ends, but I openings 4 are left between the upper sur- '1 face of the bottom and the lower edges 'of the sides 1. As illustrated, these spaces 4; are of considerable width, and, in order to moreor less obstruct said spaces to provide for supplying difi'erent kinds of feed or for feeding diiferent kinds of birds, adjustable slides 5 are mounted interiorly of the sides 1, extending the full length thereof, and

adapted to be adjusted vertically to bring their lower edges at diflerent'distances from the upper surface of the bottom 3. These slides 5 are mounted to be thus adjustable by means of bolts 6 rigidly mounted in the adjustable slides 5 and extending through vertical slots 7 in the'sides 1. 'These bolts are provided with wing. nuts 8 by means of which the adjustable slides5may be clamped at any desired position within the range of their adjustment as allowed by the slots 7. mounted on guides 9 consisting in wires havin their endparts bent at ri ht angles to their main parts and these end 'parts inserted into the so that the main part of the guide 9 extends parallel to the surface of the adj acent, side 1.' The adjustable slides 5 have grooves in their ends, into which the guides 9 are "adapted to fit. Thus, the adustable slides are held in alinement while they are being adjusted, preventing them',

from binding and wedging between the ends of the box. Atthe sameti ne, the guides 9, fitting closely into the grooves in the ends "of the adjustable slides 5, prevent the entrance of any particles of feed liable to hinder the ready adjustment of the slides.

Theinner sides of the adjustable slides 5, adjacent to their lower edges, are beveled at a suitable angle as at l0,'and the upper surface of the bottom 3, between the lower edges of the adjustable slides 5, is made to slope abruptly towardboth of the sides from the middle. This form is given to the bottom 3 by providing a strip 11 of triangular cross section running longitudinally of the bottom in its middle This strip 11 is of such width that its abruptly sloping sur faces extend almost under the adjustable the bottom 3 is made to slope abruptly up} wardly and outwardly but to an extent con Outside these adjustable slides 5,

the bottom between the sides, interiorly of the box. This abrupt upward andoutward slope is given to the bottom by providing strips 12 of triangular cross section, extending longitudinally of the bottom, from end to end, in such position that their inner sloping sides extend to about the point where the adjustable slides 5 would meet the bottom of the box, if adjusted downwardly to a sutiicient extent. The bottom 3 extends laterally past these strips 12 for a considerable distance, and is provided along its termination at each side with an upwardly extending barrier 13 of such height and in such proximity to the opening between the bottom and the lower ends of the side that it presents an eflicient hindrance to the insertion of the feet of the bird. It will thus be seen that grain, such as corn or wheat or other feed, such as peas, beans or chopped or ground feed, when placed in the hopper constituted by the box with its downwardly converging sides, will be caused to divide by the ridge formed by the triangular strip 11, and to pass laterally outward in both directions to the lower edges of the slides where it may pass through the spaces left between these lower edges of the slides and'the upper surface of the bottom, and will then encounter abruptly upwardly and outwardly sloping surfaces on the inner sides of the triangular strips 12, so that in order to leave the box it must finally pass upwardly. Thus,

with the spaces or throats adjusted properly by means of the adjustable slides 5, the feed will remain in the box in such condition that it will always be supplied through the throat as fast as those particles which are projecting through the throats are removed by the birds, but will not be caused, merely by the action of gravity, to flow through the throats faster than consumed by the birds, and thus be liable to be wasted.

The barrier 13 being positioned as above.

described, preventing the insertion of the birds feet, imposes upon the bird the necessity of only removing the feed from the box with its beak, thus insuring that the bird will remove only such feed as is eaten, supplying the bird with the full amount of feed required but preventing either the excessive withdrauuil of feed which the bird does not eat, or the eontamiuat ion of the feed by scattering on the ground or tioor and by contact by the feet of the bird, which feed, if eaten, lVhile thus elliciently guardingagainst waste and maintaining the feed supplied to the birds in sanitary condition. no hindrance is offered to the ready feeding of the birds, since all birds and poultry with which it is desired to exercise cure in. feeding, such as chickens and other towls and pigeons, may readily insert their beaks into the space immediately over the triangular strip 12 and remove the feed therefrom with their beaks as rapidly as required.

The ends 2 of the box have their upper edges inclined laterally in both directions from the middle and the lid of the box is' constructed of two pieces 14 and 15 meeting at an angle conforming to the inclination of the upper edges of the ends 2, the joint being covered by a suitable molding 16, as shown, these pieces being secured to battens 17 adaptedto extend transversely of the box, immediately outside the ends, when the lid is closed, and forming hinged connection between the lid and box by means of studs, in the form of screws 18, inserted through these battens into the ends of the box near oneside. This lid extends to a considerable distance beyond the box at the ends and at the sides, so that it forms ample. shelter over the sides of the box where the feed is procured, and over the ends'of the box, on which suitable vessels for containing water are mounted, as shown. Thus constructed, the lid substantially surrounds the upper part of the box, when closed, forming a particularly effective coveringfor the prevention of the entrance of water into the box at the top. Extending out over the sides of the box and forming a shelter over the part of the bottom extending laterally past the sides, as above mentioned, it effectuallyprevents the entrance of water at the bottom. At the same time, hinged in the manner described, it is adapted to remain in raised position when opened, as is best illustrated in'Fig. 2 of the drawings, and thus add to the convenience in using the feed box. I

The simplicity of construction of the entire device allows it to be economically produced and to be lasting, as well as efiicient in operation. By providing the adjustable slides 5 so that the width of the throat may be varied, all sizes of grain or particles of said sides, adjustable slides 5, mounted upon the inner surface of said sides and converging inwardly and downwardly, said sides having vertical slots 7,,and said slides having bolts 6 extending through said' slots 7,

thumb nuts 8 on the outside thereof to seeuro said slides in adjusted position from the outside, pairs of wire guides 9 secured to the times in proper relation to the sides 1; a

triztingular longlglitudigil strifi) or gufide tlilbexdevice, substantially as set forth.

ten in ceiitra an en t Wise 0 sai ottom to direct thg flow of the feed outwardly, FREDERICK M 5 triangular strips formin stops 12 upon said Witnesses:

bottom outside of the ower ends of said JAMES N. RAMSEY,

slides, verticelly'disposed barriers 13 outside CLARENCE PERDER.

of said stops 12, andi a mevable roof for the 

